It's about relationships

I have now been in Guatemala for 3 weeks and it is still amazing. Each day I see something new, I try something new, I learn new words and I find out somethings else I want to do while I am here. I've climbed an active volcano, I've had black sand from the Pacific Coast between my toes, and I have removed the outer shell of a dried coffee bean. This is definately a summer to remember.

And yet...(isn't there always something).....and yet something is missing. I spent some time reflecting on what was not settling well with me, what was missing from my experience here in Antigua and I finally realized it was relationships. I am meeting many people through the language school and who live near me....but they are all North Americans. Apart from the teachers and the secretary at the language school....I only interact with the Guatemalans when I am shopping or eating out. Without the language skills needed, it is difficult to engage locals...although it is funny how even speaking with North Americans is sometimes hard....I love to ask questions and hear stories...I am not sure people always like to tell me things, especially when to them we have no context to have a relationship. (I say "to them" because in my mind we have a common bond by coming to Guatemala...not usually the first country people think of when they want to go on vacation).

This is certainly a different experience than when I travel down here for the mission trips. The whole point of the mission trips is relationships. When we travel for 2 days into the Peten it is for the sole purpose of sharing our lives with the lives of the people of Nueve Guatemala. I miss Don Salvadore and Don Pablo. I want to find out how tall Jaime is and see if there are any new families in the church. What new English words has Geronimo learned? Has Gregorio had another child?

My time here in Antigua is to learn the Spanish language. I know it will help me, in the long run, to have deeper relationships with our friends in Guatemala. But each day, I miss my friends in the Peten and I long to be with them again.